Switch and Filament

I reached the polished wood of the side table just as the room darkened. A heavy brass toggle switch projected from the base of the metal lamp. Bracing my heels against the cable groove, I gripped the lever and applied downward bodyweight. The switch clicked with a sharp mechanical thud. An amber light flooded the tabletop, warming the veneer beneath my bare feet. Inside the glass shade above, a tungsten coil glowed steady. I set up an observation post behind a ceramic coaster to let my joints rest and monitor the perimeter.